Shopping For A New Home? What To Expect From The Home Inspector

(HIT) - For today’s family in search of the American dream, lower house prices and near-record lows in mortgage interest rates have opened up a window of opportunity not available in the past. As the home buying season gets under way this Spring, many consumers will be learning for the first time about a professional that can minimize the risks of this major investment: the professional home inspector.

In many parts of the country, a pre-purchase evaluation of a home’s condition has become routine, providing buyers with the vital information they need to make a sound purchasing decision. Since the home inspector profession is still relatively young, however, consumers should learn something about it so that they will understand what to expect, and what not to expect, from their chosen home inspector.

Professional Home Inspector Standards

While there are no State or Federal guidelines, home inspectors throughout the country are generally expected to follow the Standards of Practice established by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), widely recognized as the leading authority in the field. This is a document which specifies all the components of a home that are to be included in an inspection, from the roof to the foundation. The ASHI Standards for home inspectors are considered by government and professional real estate groups to be the benchmark of performance for home inspectors.

Home Inspector Qualifications

In recent years, literally dozens of groups and organizations have been formed to capitalize on the marketing opportunities of the home inspector profession. This can make the selection of a qualified professional extremely difficult.

Many new organizations, for example, request only an application fee. Some claim to offer certification, but don’t require exams or proven credentials. Still others boast engineering licenses as assurance of qualification, though such licenses do not indicate competence in home inspection.

Real estate experts advise consumers to look for a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), the only national professional organization in the U.S. and Canada which rigorously tests home inspectors on their technical knowledge and diagnostic expertise in residential construction. ASHI membership requires experience prior to admission, as well as continuing education annually after admission in order to keep current with new technology and building practices.

Home Inspector Ethics

To be sure that a home inspector is ethical and professional, consumers should ascertain before the inspection that he or she will not offer to do any repairs on the inspected property, and that the firm has no financial interest in the transaction, or in the real estate agent’s commission. Any indication of such conflict of interest activities should send up the red flag to tell consumers to look for another inspector.

Home Inspector Service

Home inspectors are generalists, much like medical General Practitioners. They know how the home’s many systems and components work, both independently and together, and they understand how and why they fail. Consumers should expect the written report to describe the actual condition of the home at the time of the inspection based upon visual observation, and to provide an indication of the need for major repairs.

What Not To Expect From A Home Inspector

Home inspectors do not do any destructive testing, nor can they see through walls, and so consumers should not expect their reports to include the condition of every nail, wire or pipe in the home. In addition, inspectors are primarily concerned with pointing out large expenses and/or safety related concerns, rather than small or cosmetic items, which are considered readily apparent to the buyers themselves.

Finally, home buyers should not expect the inspector’s report to serve as a guarantee that the home’s components won’t ever fail or need repair at some point in the future. No house is perfect, and they all need regular maintenance and repair.

How To Choose A Home Inspector

ASHI recommends that home buyers call several inspectors in their area and interview them in advance to ascertain their qualifications. Here are some important questions to ask:

• Is the inspector a Certified Member of ASHI?
• How long has the inspector been in business as a home inspection firm?
• Is the inspector specifically experienced in residential inspection?
• Does the company offer to do any repairs or improvements based on its inspection? This might cause a conflict of interest.
• How long will the inspection take? (The average is 2 to 3 hours.)
• What will it include? (Get the specifics.)
• How much will it cost? (The national average is $260 to $360.)
• Does the inspector supply a written report? Ask to see a sample.
• Does the inspector encourage the client to attend the inspection? This is a valuable educational opportunity, and he should welcome the client along.
• Does the inspector participate in continuing education programs to keep his expertise up to date?
• Obtain a list of past client references and contact them.

If the selection of a home inspector is made carefully and ahead of time, home buyers will have one less detail to worry about during the chaos and excitement of finding a new home. Visit http://www.ashi.org/documents/pdf/standards.pdf to Download a copy of the ASHI Standards of Practice. To receive a list of Certified Members of ASHI in your area, call 1-847-759-2820.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center

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